2013 -- H 5904 ======LC02116 ======STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 ______

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

EXTENDING WARM WISHES IN FAITH AND THE BLESSINGS OF HOPE AND PEACE TO HIS HOLINESS, POPE FRANCIS I

Introduced By: Representatives Costa, Hull, Edwards, Ucci, and McNamara

Date Introduced: March 19, 2013

Referred To: House read and passed

1 WHEREAS, Amidst the jubilant ringing of bells at the Vatican and thousands of cheering

2 people gathered in St. Peter's square, a puff of white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine

3 Chapel in the early evening hours on March 13, 2013, announced the joyful success of the

4 gathering of Catholic cardinals assembled to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI; and

5 WHEREAS, The 266 th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and Holy Father to 1.2

6 billion devout followers worldwide is Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the former

7 Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He has taken the papal name of Pope Francis, the first Pope to do

8 so; and

9 WHEREAS, Elected on the fifth ballot, the new pope was chosen in one of the fastest

10 conclaves in years. He is the first non-European leader of the church in more than 1,000 years and

11 the first South American Pope; and

12 WHEREAS, His Holiness, Pope Francis I, possesses a self-effacing humility and has

13 shown himself to be worthy through a lifetime of service to humanity and devotion to God. A

14 member of the largest Catholic order, the Jesuits, and was born in Argentina to parents of Italian

15 descent, he has lived the inspiring words of Francis of Assisi, "Lord, make me an instrument of

16 thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love"; and

17 WHEREAS, His Holiness, Pope Francis I will be installed on Tuesday, March 19th, on

18 the feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of the universal church; and

19 WHEREAS, The installation of a new Pope inspires and guides the universal Catholic 1 Church and its millions of followers across the world, providing a great sense of peace

2 and hope that is ultimately beneficial to all; now, therefore be it

3 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

4 Providence Plantations hereby joins the faithful in joyous celebration, extends warmest wishes to

5 His Holiness, Pope Francis I, for many years of benevolent service to the faithful, and that His

6 Holiness receive the blessings of God in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

7 Spirit; and be it further

8 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

9 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to His Holiness, Pope Francis I.

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